Робинзон Крузо
Start in life
andalightship,whohadriditoutjustaheadofus,venturedaboatouttohelpus. Itwaswiththeutmosthazardtheboatcamenearus;butitwasimpossibleforustogetonboard,orfortheboattolieneartheship’sside,tillatlastthemenrowingveryheartily,andventuringtheirlivestosaveours, ourmencastthemaropeoverthesternwithabuoytoit,andthenveereditoutagreatlength,whichthey,aftermuchlabourandhazard,tookholdof,andwehauledthemcloseunderourstern,andgotallintotheirboat. Itwastonopurposeforthemorus,afterwewereintheboat,tothinkofreachingtheirownship; soallagreedtoletherdrive,andonlytopullherintowardsshoreasmuchaswecould; andourmasterpromisedthem,thatiftheboatwasstaveduponshore,hewouldmakeitgoodtotheirmaster: sopartlyrowingandpartlydriving,ourboatwentawaytothenorthward,slopingtowardstheshorealmostasfarasWintertonNess.
Wewerenotmuchmorethanaquarterofanhouroutofourshiptillwesawhersink,andthenIunderstoodforthefirsttimewhatwasmeantbyashipfounderinginthesea. ImustacknowledgeIhadhardlyeyestolookupwhentheseamentoldmeshewassinking; forfromthemomentthattheyratherputmeintotheboatthanthatImightbesaidtogoin,myheartwas,asitwere,deadwithinme,partlywithfright,partlywithhorrorofmind,andthethoughtsofwhatwasyetbeforeme.
Whilewewereinthiscondition-themenyetlabouringattheoartobringtheboatneartheshore-wecouldsee(when,ourboatmountingthewaves,wewereabletoseetheshore)agreatmanypeoplerunningalongthestrandtoassistuswhenweshouldcomenear; butwemadebutslowwaytowardstheshore; norwereweabletoreachtheshoretill,beingpastthelighthouseatWinterton,theshorefallsofftothewestwardtowardsCromer,andsothelandbrokeoffalittletheviolenceofthewind.
